Nevada County picayune., 1887-06-15
WASHINGTON TOPICS.
Weekly Budget of News From the
 National Capital.
1 From our Special Correspondent.

WASHINGTON, D. C., June l3. 1887.
 General Sheridan will Iecom- mend to Congress suitable legisla- ton, for an annual National Drill in Washington, upon the general plan of the drill recently held in this city, but to be under the aus pices of the Government, and to be in every sense a National ai- fair. If the plan Is sanctioned by Congress. it is proposed that the company or companies to be sent from any State, shall be selected by competition, thus insuring the presence of crack companies from every State represented. It's character as the child of govern mental percentage and support would command universal interest, and assure to perfect success. The result could not fail to be of great value in creating a well disciplined, stalwart. Self-respectlng militia to which the country may confidently look for valuable servlce should the day ot need come. The geo. graphical location of the United States confers no exemption from the liability of war. In which event a we'll trained militia would be a great help to our regular army.
 Perhaps the most interesting set of historical relics now in the pos session of the Government are the archives of the Confederate gov. ernment which were taken at Rlch- mond and placed in charge Of the War Department. They are care fully arranged in the War, State and Navy building, and are guard ed with the same care as though they were worth their weight in diamonds. Among the relics is the seal of the Confederate Treas ury: the great seal of the Confed- eracy; one of the only four silver half dollars coined by the COnfed- eracy at New Orleans; great quantity of Confederate money, amounting to several million dol lars. and a mass of documents glv- ing complete history ol the Con- federary. A full list of the Sena. tors and Representatives compos' ing the Confederate Congress Is also given, together with the cop ies of bills and resolutions intro duced in Congress. The names, dates of appointment and length oi service of those composing Presi' dent Davis cabinet also appear, and slle whole is vastly interesting
 The latest rumor with reference to the Interstate Commission is, that the prominent railroads of the country will combine to test the constitutionality of the act. It Is claimed also that the President has not the legal authority to appoint the commissioners after the ad' iournment of Congress.
 An explosive has just been dis covered by all army officer in this city. which is intended to supplant dynamite for blasting purposes. Many experiments have been made here recently in the presence ol military men, engineers and quar- rymen, who unite in the opinion that the opinion that the new dis covery is the most wonderful ex- plosiye known. It is claimed to be cheaper than dynamite, not near so dangerous to manufacture and handle, and six times more powerful as an explosive. It is believed that besides utilizing the new explosive for blasting pur- poses it can be used in guns and cannon and shells as as a subSti- tute for both powder and dyna- mite.
 In order to guard against the importation of infectious diseases, the President has decided to es- tablish, by means of the vessels of the Revenue Service, n national patrol of the coast of the United States. SD far as may be possible with these means. He is impressed with the necessity of, and the val ue to be derived from the applica- ton of every possible resource to prevent the introduction from for eign sources of infectious diseases among our people. And he Is con vinced our national health will be promoted thereby. A. $. |.